Forrester's 2027 B2C Marketing, CX, And Digital Predictions: Rising AI Costs Will Force B2C Leaders To Scale Back A Third Of AI Initiatives

SINGAPORE, Oct. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- According to Forrester's (Nasdaq: FORR) 2027 B2C marketing, customer experience, and digital predictions, rising AI costs will force B2C marketing leaders to scale back a third of AI initiatives. As AI usage grows and martech vendors increasingly adopt usage-based pricing models, every agent interaction, generated asset, and automated workflow becomes a billable event. As a result, leaders will need to make tougher decisions and focus investments on AI initiatives that deliver measurable business value.

Forrester's Predictions reports deliver forward-looking insights into the signals and trends that will shape the year ahead. Forrester's consumer marketing, CX, and digital business predictions cover topics including B2C marketing, customer experience, consumer behavior, digital commerce, media and advertising, marketing agencies, content and creative, and trust and privacy.

Additional highlights from Forrester's 2027 B2C marketing, CX, and digital predictions include:

• CX staffing will rise by 20% after overzealous cuts, focusing on AI-supporting roles. After two years of widespread layoffs across CX teams, companies will increase hiring for roles such as natural language processing engineers, data scientists, and AI experience designers to identify high-value AI use cases and strengthen AI capabilities.

• Human-generated content will become a top priority (again) for 50% of brands. As AI-generated content floods digital channels, marketers will increasingly rely on experts, customers, and documented evidence to build trust and credibility, making authenticity a core feature of brand interactions.

• One in 20 US and UK consumers will abandon traditional shopping for conversations. Brands that prioritize trust over automation will be best positioned to capitalize on agentic commerce and increasingly hand routine purchases to autonomous AI agents.

"The challenge for leaders in 2027 will be gaining greater control without limiting growth," said Sharyn Leaver, chief research officer at Forrester. "Whether managing AI costs, preparing for agentic commerce, or earning trust in an increasingly synthetic digital world, organizations must make more deliberate decisions about where AI creates value, where human expertise matters most, and where investment is best spent."

Resources:

• Download Forrester's 2027 B2C marketing, CX, and digital Predictions guide.
• Register for Forrester's 2027 B2C marketing, CX, and digital Predictions webinar to explore how AI will reshape marketing investments, customer buying behavior, and experience delivery.
• Explore Forrester's global CX events to connect with CX, marketing, and digital leaders and Forrester experts.
• Visit Forrester's 2027 Predictions hub to access additional complimentary resources.

About Forrester

Forrester (Nasdaq: FORR) is one of the most influential research and advisory firms in the world. We empower leaders in technology, customer experience, digital, marketing, revenue, and product functions to make confident decisions in an AI-driven world and accelerate growth through customer obsession. Our unique research and continuous guidance model helps executives and their teams achieve their initiatives and outcomes faster and with confidence. Learn more at Forrester.com.

SOURCE Forrester